Posted by Paul Cook on Wednesday, October 29, 2003 at 5:09PM :
In Reply to: Time To Take A Poll! posted by Marty on Tuesday, October 28, 2003 at 12:26PM :
The Kempner POWER WAGON Museum houses my private collection and has no legal status. (It does make it more acceptable to the zoning folks.) As explained on my web site, I use "Museum" because I also have over $2000.00 worth of related reference materials. This is a place where we can view some very original old Dodges either by visiting or having me take a picture of some detail and getting it out on the Internet. And we can have access to the references the same way. It's all about sharing information.
Having the telephone truck here meets that aspect of the Museum. However, I have no knowledge of telephone (or power) line construction and would only be able to provide information on the basic POWER WAGON.
This truck should have a home where its special equipment is the focus. Here it would be just another POWER WAGON - which still makes it pretty special.
Several years ago, Bob Jones' beautiful 1/2 ton Command Car went to the Chrysler Museum. As far I as know, none of our POWER WAGON gang who visited the Chrysler Museum has seen it on display. I'm told it is in storage. The WWII vehicle the Museum staff has selected for display is a Jeep - not even a MOPAR in WWII.
I know of very rare aircraft stored in hangars and not displayed at the Air Force Museum in Dayton, Ohio. The same thing is true at the Smithsonian. Big museums display only a part of their items.
I'm flattered not only because you considered my Museum as a home for this truck, but mostly because you have visited my web site and know about it.
I have seen some very thoughtful comments here. Considering all of them, I believe the best disposition of this truck is for one of the many who wants to see it preserved to buy it. Eric may not be able to capitalize on the telephone truck because most buyers want only the POWER WAGON underneath. That means it should sell for the same price as any other POWER WAGON in the same condition. Then some of the others who lack the space or have other reasons for not owning it should help get it restored with labor, donations, or both.
This is the way steam locomotives and other items which are few in number are restored by large groups of fans.
The final owner probably should have some connection with the telephone industry and should make a point of displaying it at related events. In an earlier thread, one Forum visitor lamented the lack of any telephone system museum. This might be a starting point for bringing together all the old linemen. Glen Campbell certainly has provided the theme song.
Several comments addressed my son's interest in keeping my collection intact. Rest assured, we are an old MOPAR family. I collect Dodge 4x4's. My younger son collects forties and fifties Dodge 4x2's. Among his is a '54 Dodge, one-ton, dually, pick-up. My daughter-in-law has her totally original '55 Plymouth Savoy here. How many of you know what "Porta-Walls" are? Her dad has been included in our family insanity and has a POWER WAGON and an M-37. While my son and daughter-in-law are serving in Iraq, my grandchildren are with their Godparents - another POWER WAGON family.
I'm 65 years old. I would not have built my new Museum building if I did not think it and the truck collection would outlast me. Hopefully, my ashes will be soaking up POWER WAGON oil drippings at the Museum many years after I'm gone - 50 years or so from now.
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